Childhood Remembrances
by Irrational Pi
Summary: The story of when Ino, Sakura, and Naruto first met. [AU? OOC? You decide.]
1. Ino

Childhood Remembrances

Chapter 1: Ino

The park is my favorite place to play. My mother takes me there and tells me more about the plants; lots of them only grow here in the Leaf Village. There is a large playground also and all the kids that come there know that I am the boss. That makes it even better.

One day, as I arrive with my mother, I see a new boy playing there. Bright yellow hair -- much brighter than mine! -- and horrid orange clothes. He looks happy but he is playing by himself as far from the other kids as possible.

"Why isn't he playing with the other kids?" I ask in an annoyed tone. He should know I am the boss here and anyone playing here has to play by my rules. But the other kids are ignoring him. I tug on my mother's hand to make sure I have her attention.

My mother follows my gaze and spots the boy... and she freezes in place.

I look up at her face. She has a look on her face that I have never seen before. I do not know what it means but it makes me a little afraid. Her hand feels colder for some reason.

"That... boy... is a troublemaker. And a bad boy. Stay away from him, Ino."

She never calls me just 'Ino' unless she is mad. But her voice does not sound angry. When she is mad her voice is louder and she sounds like she is spitting fire. This is not her angry voice; this voice is cold like her hand.

"If people see you with him, they'll think you're a bad girl. You don't want that, do you?"

I shake my head. "N-no, Mama," I stutter out in a strangely small voice.

"Good girl," she says and she smiles at me. It is not a real smile though. I try to smile back and then go to play with the other kids.

Something feels wrong and the others look at me funny but I start yelling at them and everything returns to normal. I wonder about the boy briefly but I know that I will never go near him.

I never want to ever see that face on my mother again.

oOoOo

After I began attending the ninja academy, the _kunoichi_ classes quickly became my favorite. I know much about the meanings of flowers and how to arrange them but these classes do help me hone my skills and I begin to learn about the various ninja-specific uses.

There are a lot of girls with really odd hair in my class. I know that they cannot look as good as I do but you would think that they would at least try.

After school I usually go hang out with my friends at the park. Sometimes I see the yellow-haired boy there.

I know his name now: Uzumaki Naruto. Someone is always talking about one of his pranks. Sometimes I overhear adults talking about them. Their voices and expressions are cold, reminding me of my mother that day. I still do not understand why they act like that. His pranks, which usually involve paint, are annoying but harmless. I saw what he did to the wall of the Uchiha compound and thought it was kind of funny. I also heard it took the police force half a day to catch him but that is hard to believe.

It seems like everything about Naruto is hard to believe.

I have seen Hokage-sama with him in the park every now and then. Hokage-sama likes to walk around the village and talk to people but to see him spend an hour or more talking to the village outcast is a strange sight.

Naruto has a brighter smile during these times as he shouts and bounces around Hokage-sama's legs, likely describing his latest misadventure. Hokage-sama puffs on his pipe, says a few words now and then, and laughs delightedly or sighs wryly depending on what he hears. He usually gives Naruto a brief hug before he leaves. Naruto acts a bit more subdued after spending time with Hokage-sama but I know that the next time I see him he will be his usual hyperactive self.

The way that Hokage-sama treats Naruto just adds to my own confusion though.

A few weeks after my first year in the academy began I find another new face in my playground. I recognize her as one of my new classmates because of her hair color. The color might be cute but her haircut itself leaves a lot to be desired. What are her parents thinking?

The girl is standing there with a timid expression, looking a bit lost, so I decide to approach her. Before I move even a step in her direction though, an orange streak appears out of nowhere and bowls her over. I watch in amusement as Naruto apologizes and helps her up. She smiles tentatively at him and says something.

I decide to use some of the training that my father has been giving me and sneak up close enough to hear them. Being from a clan gives a ninja-in-training a very large head start on ninja skills. Neither Naruto nor the girl are from a clan. I wonder if there is some connection between the clans and how adults think of Naruto. I set the thought aside, though, as I concentrate on moving silently but swiftly. Hiding behind a bush, I focus on them, trying to tune out the other sounds in the park.

From my position I can see Naruto's face but not the girl's. He looks nervous and unsure, which is not something I have seen before.

"But if your parents see us playing… they'll get mad at you and then you'll hate me." Naruto looks down at the ground and his voice fades to the point where I can barely make it out. "Just like all the other kids do."

I frown as I crouch in my hiding place. Based on my own experiences I know that he could be right about how the girl's parents would react.

Seconds tick by as Naruto stares at the ground and the girl stares at him. I really wish that I could see her face. After what seems to be an agonizingly long time but was certainly less than a minute she responds.

"I won't hate you."

Naruto raises his head but his expression is still troubled. "You sure?"

"Yup! I promise! Pinky promise!" the girl says as she holds out a hand. "I'll never hate you! We'll be friends forever!"

"Okay!" He thrusts out a hand and wraps his pinky finger around hers. "Friends forever!" The smile that blossoms on Naruto's face outshines the sun. Not even when talking with Hokage-sama does he look this happy. His smile makes the world a better place. That moment is the only time I have ever been jealous of Haruno Sakura.

He quickly releases the girl's pinky and before she can react he grabs her whole hand and drags her off.

I smile a little as I abandon my concealment.

The next day, I go out of my way to see if Naruto and the pink-haired girl are around. I immediately notice that my friends are missing from our normal meeting spot. It would not bother me except that for all of them to be absent means that Ami and her 'gang' must be wandering around my park today. Without me the others cannot stand up to her. Shikamaru and Chouji certainly could but Shikamaru would go to the other side of the village to avoid Ami and Chouji follows his lead.

I stomp through my park, looking for Ami but when I find her it is too late. She and her two friends are facing an angry Naruto and a crying pink-haired girl.

Ami makes some loud comment about 'giant foreheads' and the sobbing girl flees. Naruto kicks some dirt at Ami and the others but they just run off laughing at their victory. The girl has disappeared and Naruto runs off looking for her.

I try to follow them. I lose track of Naruto's path pretty quickly but I manage to follow the girl's. Naruto hasn't found her and she's sitting on the ground and crying.

After another minute of Naruto not appearing I decide to approach her. "They were making fun of your forehead, huh?" I decide not to mention Naruto. I do not really want to talk about Naruto, even with this girl.

"Who…?" she asks as she looks up at me. Her hair was a mess before but now she has tried to pull various strands down over her forehead making it even worse.

"I'm Yamanaka Ino. And you?"

"Ha-Haruno Sakura," she manages to get out around her sniffles.

"Sakura-chan, huh?" I am a bit surprised I did not remember a name like that given her hair color. "Hmm… trying to hide your forehead? That just makes it look worse." I push the sloppy bangs out of the way. Her hair looks a lot better that way and I remember a red ribbon that I have that would look perfect in her hair. I smile at her as I say, "Meet me here tomorrow. I'll give you something nice."

Her crying has mostly stopped now but she still looks unhappy as I walk away.

Tomorrow comes and I find her where I left her. I give her the ribbon to hold back her hair. It makes a big improvement. Unfortunately she seems to have become attached to me; she starts following me around like a like a little puppy. Since I do not have any other options, I introduce her to my friends. She seems more timid now than she was at the beginning of the school year. I guess Ami did a thorough job of destroying Sakura's self-confidence.

Sakura readily becomes another member of my little group. She never mentions Naruto and I never see them together again. That makes me angry at both Ami and Sakura. But I understand Sakura and I hope that she will recover.

Shortly after our second year in the academy began, Sakura announces that she likes Uchiha Sasuke. Unconsciously, my mouth turns down in a frown and my eyes narrow. So she chose the most popular boy in school instead of the boy she gave a promise to?

One of my friends comments on how Sakura seems happier now but all I can do is glare at her. "She's just hiding her feelings," I mutter in response without explaining.

I decide then and there that I would not let her happily chase after Sasuke. If she was going to be stupid then I was going to cause her as many problems as I could.

oOoOo

Now that we are in the same class as Naruto, I sometimes catch Sakura looking at him. Her face is expressionless but I know that she has not forgotten. She is not truly remembering her promise but she has not forgotten either.

Maybe I am a hypocrite. I cannot be Naruto's friend because my mother's face haunts me. So I want Sakura to do what I cannot.

But it is more than that. I have seen Naruto smile many times. But I have never again seen him smile like he did that day. I somehow know that no matter how many friends he has, no matter how many people acknowledge him, not even if he becomes Hokage will I see that smile again.

Not until Haruno Sakura remembers her promise.

So I am going to pester her until she does. Until she is Naruto's friend again.

Because I want to see that smile.


	2. Sakura

Childhood Remembrances

Chapter 2: Sakura

I have never been a strong person.

I like being in large groups. I like attention and particularly being praised in front of others. I have never been good at handling criticism.

Before the age of nine I was in a civilian school. I was top of my class. I invited my friends to study with me and I am as good at teaching as I am at learning. My study sessions were very effective so everyone wanted to be my friend. There was the occasional whisper of 'teacher's pet' or 'nerd' but they would never dare to say it to my face. I was at the top of the pecking order.

When I turned nine, my parents were approached by representatives of the ninja academy. They always watch the civilian schools for students of above average intelligence. Even if a student never becomes a mission-active _genin_, the ninja academy is used as a pathway for training the multitude of clerks that work under the Hokage.

My parents are moderately successful merchants. They run a fairly small furniture store specializing in imported furniture. They have always wanted something better for their daughter. In a hidden village social advancement means becoming a ninja. It is certainly not the safest career choice but it is the most prestigious. And so my parents agreed to enter me into the ninja academy and I was given a scholarship.

The difference between the civilian schools and the ninja academy is tremendous, and not only due to the subjects taught. I had no clan name to give me immediate respect like many of the other students. I had no clan techniques to augment the basic instruction given. My parents could not give me supplemental training in even the most basic physical skills. There was also a difference in how disputes between students are settled. If an argument became a little more physical than it should have the teachers would generally turn a blind eye. After all, we were training to be ninja. I was at the top of the social order within my previous school and here I was at the very bottom.

The whole situation made me nervous and intimidated. For the first few weeks I tended to avoid the other students and hide whenever possible. I overheard some girls planning to meet at a nearby park and I decided that I would try to join them.

I was standing in the middle of the park's playground, watching for any of the girls in my class, when I suddenly found myself flat on my back. There next to me was a blonde boy with odd markings on his cheeks. I knew who Uzumaki Naruto was, of course; there were not many people in the village who had not heard of at least one of his pranks. Naruto, based on his reputation, was the type of person that I would never become friends with. A social outcast, practically a pariah in the village and especially among the ninja, and I was looking for exactly the opposite.

He scrambled to his feet and offered me a hand which I accepted along with his apology. It could have ended there; it should have ended there. But then he smiled at me.

I can count on one hand the number of times that one of my peers has actually smiled at me. Not a smile that meant 'Let me into your study group.' Not a smile that meant 'I want to be part of your clique.' Just a smile. Someone who was happy and wanted to share that happiness.

So when he turned away, about to sprint off, I called to him. "Wait!"

He turned back to me with a quizzical expression.

"I'm Haruno Sakura."

"Uzumaki Naruto," he offered with a slightly nervous grin. But that grin was not what I wanted.

"Want to play together?"

His nervousness changed to something akin to fear then. "I… don't know."

"Why not?" I asked. This encounter had not progressed at all like I expected. Given what people said about him, I had thought of him as almost a bully, boisterous and never taking other people into account. But his smile had told me differently. And now my curiosity had been aroused about this energetic boy who was acting so shyly. "We can be friends, right?"

He seemed to study me for a few seconds before answering. "But if your parents see us playing… they'll get mad at you and then you'll hate me." Naruto looked down at that point and his voice lowered. "Just like all the other kids do."

I did not like that at all. I had thought I could get him to smile for me again. I had thought it would be a simple task. But the boy that stood before me was not as simple as he seemed. I stared at him, thinking about social status, the other students of the ninja academy, and bright smiles.

"I won't hate you." The words escaped from my lips before I came to a conscious decision.

Naruto's head snapped up and he looked at me with one of the most vulnerable expressions I had ever seen. "You sure?"

I rarely do anything half-heartedly. So I decided to respond to him as enthusiastically as I could. "Yup! I promise! Pinky promise!" I held out my right hand with the pinky extended. "I'll never hate you! We'll be friends forever!"

"Okay!" he shouted as he clumsily entangled his pinky with my own. "Friends forever!" His previous smile had only been a hint of what this one was. I can never put into words exactly what that smile was like. It was a smile capable of changing a person.

We played that day and agreed to meet the next day after classes. Naruto was actually two years ahead of me in studies, having been entered into the ninja academy early, so I would not see him during lectures.

I thought that I would never regret my decision to be friends with Naruto.

But I have never been strong.

The next day was horrible. Three girls found us playing together on the swings. What they said is not important. The only thing that matters is that I… shattered. I could not take their insults. I ran. I abandoned Naruto. I made Naruto's smile dim. I could not forgive myself for that.

Ino found me that day and she helped a little. The next day she gave me a ribbon and that helped a little. Meeting some of the other girls -- who were not as mean as Ami and her cronies -- helped a little.

After the other girls had gone home, I searched for Naruto and found him where we first met.

"Sakura-chan!" He raced toward me as soon as he saw me, a smile on his face. But his smile was not as cheerful as it had been the day before. My tears returned and I could barely speak.

"I'm sorry…" _I ran away._

"I couldn't find you yesterday. I was really worried!" He still was, I could see it in his eyes.

"I'm sorry…" _I caused you pain._

"It's okay! What do you want to do today? Do you like ramen?" It was obvious that he had no idea what to do about the girl crying before him but he was trying his best.

"I can't…" _stay by your side._

"Do… you hate me now?" His smile was gone, replaced by a loneliness so profound that I had to respond. I had to at least let him know that that was not the problem.

"No! I don't hate you." _Not that. Never that._ "I'm sorry…" _I'm not strong enough. _"I'm sorry…" _I can't be your friend._

"Sakura-chan!" he called as I fled and I hoped that he would not chase me.

I avoided him after that. I now knew just how weak I was. I stayed with Ino where I was comfortable. Even as I excelled in my studies I stayed where I was safe because I could not protect myself let alone someone else.

At the end of the school year, Uchiha Sasuke came to my attention, having placed first in all subjects for first-year students. And again I became part of the crowd. I let myself fall in love with him like so many other of the young _kunoichi_. And it was easy to do. He is handsome, skilled, and his reserved demeanor makes him seem mature. After his family was killed in the middle of our second year his attitude changed to a brooding silence but that only gave him an additional air of mystery.

He never smiles.

Ino changed after I let my interest in Sasuke be known. But even our rivalry gives me a place to belong. It gives me the attention that I desire and in a way that no one will criticize. If anything, the other girls in our class are jealous of my relationship with Ino since she has always been the one that all the girls defer to.

Now, in our third year, Naruto still has not graduated and is part of our class.

I sometimes worry about whether he will graduate or not. He tries hard but he has a lot of problems with his chakra for some reason.

I sometimes worry about whether he should become a ninja or not. Shinobi rule number 25: a shinobi must never show emotions. I wonder if he will ever be able to learn to do that.

He approaches me continually, a smile on his face. Not the one that I saw two years ago but still a smile of joy. I know what he wants but I examine myself and know that I am not strong enough. I am no longer bothered by my looks but if someone like Ami disparaged me for being his friend I know what would happen. I would shatter again. I would run and hide again.

And his smile would dim again. I will never let that happen. I will never betray him again.

So I push him away and yell at him.

And I hope…

That someday I will be strong enough…

To be his friend again.


	3. Naruto

Childhood Remembrances

Chapter 3: Naruto

My name is Uzumaki Naruto!

I love ramen! I especially love Ichiraku ramen! I like old man Hokage! I like being a ninja! Even if I'm still just a student. I like sunshine! And plants! And loud noise! And paint!

And someday, I'm going to be Hokage!

I know I have a lot of trouble in the classes at the ninja academy but that's not really my fault. There's just so many things I have to do!

I have to figure out a prank to pay back that grumpy old guy at the weapons shop. I have to avoid any members of the Hyuuga clan (aside from that one girl but she's weird anyway) for the next month or so until they forget about what I did to that pond. I have to explore that weird forest that's not exactly inside or outside the village. I know there's a fence around it and a bunch of warning signs but fences are for climbing, right? And who reads signs anyway? And I still have to find a way to make ramen cook faster!

So as you can see, I've got a lot on my mind. It's important stuff too. Especially compared to some war that happened before I was born or what some ninja did when attacked by three other ninja.

Still, the old man got me a place in the academy and I've been doing my best! My chakra doesn't seem to flow like the _ninjutsu_ instructors describe during their lectures but Iruka-sensei (the only one that really talks to me) says it takes practice. I've been working on the _henge_ technique recently. I can sometimes do _kawarimi_. _Bunshin_, though, seems to be a total bust; I can't get it to do anything.

My _taijutsu_ is developing slowly also. None of the instructors for that class want to even look at me. But our textbook has some great diagrams, so I know I'll be fine!

After all, I'm going to graduate this year and become the greatest ninja in the village!

oOoOo

I ran into a girl today! I didn't mean to! She has messy pink hair. I think I like pink now! Her name is Sakura!

She didn't frown at me when I knocked her down and her eyes weren't cold. She asked if we could be friends. I looked into her eyes when she asked that. Iruka-sensei told me once, 'Eyes are the windows to the soul.' I didn't understand him at the time but I do now. Sakura-chan's eyes had curiosity and a little bit of desire. She's a good person even if she is a lonely. She said that she wouldn't hate me even if her parents got mad. So we're friends now! We even made a promise! Friends forever!

She doesn't like plants as much as I do but she does like to know things. Tomorrow we'll play on the swings! It'll be great!

oOoOo

Today was a bad day. Some ugly girls started bothering Sakura-chan and me. They said a bunch of mean things, I've heard them all before, but they hurt Sakura-chan. The loudest one had cold eyes full of arrogance. She's ugly on the inside as well as the outside. Sakura-chan was crying when she ran off.

I chased after Sakura-chan but a member of the Inuzuka clan caught me. He wanted to talk to me about how syrup of ipecac ended up in his kennel's water supply last week. What do they expect when they teach us about this stuff in the academy?

It took me a long time to clean up the kennel. I went back to the park but it was already dark and I didn't see Sakura-chan anywhere. I'll find her tomorrow.

oOoOo

I finally found Sakura-chan. Or she found me. She has a ribbon in her hair now and it makes her look really cute! But she was crying. Her eyes tell me she's feeling sad and lonely and guilty. I tried to cheer her up but it just made her feel worse for some reason. So I don't chase her when she runs away.

But she told me she doesn't hate me.

That's all I need to hear. She'll keep her promise, I know it!

oOoOo

I see Sakura-chan sometimes but she's always with a bunch of other girls, some of which I know don't like me. She's not as sad or lonely but she still feels guilty. I'm happy that Sakura-chan feels better.

Someday she'll talk to me again and everything will be perfect!

oOoOo

This year will be my third attempt at graduating from the ninja academy. But it's great! Sakura-chan is in the same class that I am!

She's happy and she has a lot of friends. Her eyes still hold the little bit of loneliness that I saw when I first met her and the guilt that has been there since she ran off. And because of that, I think I have finally figured out why she feels guilty. So every time I see her I try to let her know that I don't blame her for running away. I try to let her know that I never blamed her. I try to let her know that the only thing that is wrong is that she's not sitting next to me, talking to me, and letting me smile at her.

I feel sad when she ignores me in favor of Sasuke. And I feel angry when Sasuke ignores her.

But those feelings don't really matter. I believe in Sakura-chan's promise.

So when she brushes by without acknowledging me or pushes me away, I know that she doesn't hate me. When she yells at me, I know that she's still my friend.

Because I believe in promises.

Because I believe in Sakura-chan's promise.

Because I believe in Sakura-chan.

My name is Uzumaki Naruto!

I love ramen! I like old man Hokage! I like being a ninja! I like sunshine and plants and noise and paint!

I love Sakura-chan!

And someday, I'm going to be Hokage!


	4. Author Notes

Naruto is the intellectual property of Kishimoto Masashi.

I thought Sakura's chapter would be chapter 3 and Naruto's would be chapter 2 but after writing them, I switched them around. Partly to end on a happier note but I also ended up with some unexpected thoughts on Naruto's part that were more powerful if in context of Sakura's thoughts.

Ninjutsu – ninja arts, chakra techniques  
Taijutsu – 'body' arts, physical techniques  
Bunshin – clone  
Kawarimi – replacement  
Henge – transformation  
Genin – lower rank  
Kunoichi – female ninja

Syrup of ipecac induces vomiting. I won't be held responsible for what you do with that information.

Naruto's part was a little different than I first imagined, so some parts of the dialogue were never revealed. Here it is for those who might be curious.

-

Naruto knocks Sakura down.

Naruto: Ack! Sorry about that!

Sakura: That's okay.

Naruto begins to run off.

Sakura: Wait! I'm Haruno Sakura.

Naruto: Uzumaki Naruto.

Sakura: Want to play together?

Naruto looks around.

Naruto: I don't know.

Sakura: Why not? We can be friends, right?

Naruto looks down.

Naruto: If your parents see us playing they'll get mad and then you'll hate me. Just like all the other kids.

Sakura: I won't hate you.

Naruto: You sure?

Sakura: Yup! I promise! Pinky promise! I'll never hate you! We'll be friends forever!

Naruto: Okay! Friends forever!

-

Ami: Look, it's miss forehead and the village loser

Naruto frowns, Sakura looks down

Ami: I guess forehead girl is so ugly she couldn't find anybody else to play with her

Sakura starts crying

Naruto: Shut up!

Ami: Oh... the town idiot is protecting his girlfriend. How cute!

Kid: Of course, he couldn't get a better looking girl to even talk to him

Kid: Yeah, they're perfect for each other

Ami: Just imagine if they had kids! Losers with giant foreheads!

Sakura flees

Naruto snarls and kicks some dirt at them but they run away laughing

-

Ino: They were making fun of your forehead, huh?

Sakura: Who...?

Ino: I'm Yamanaka Ino. And you?

Sakura: Haruno Sakura.

Ino: Sakura-chan, huh? Hmm... trying to hide your forehead? That just makes it look worse.

Ino: Meet me tomorrow. I'll give you something nice.

-

Naruto: Sakura-chan!

Sakura: I'm sorry... (I ran away)

Naruto: I couldn't find you yesterday. I was really worried!  
Sakura: I'm sorry... (I caused you pain)

Naruto: It's okay! What do you want to do today? Do you like ramen?  
Sakura: I can't... (stay by your side)

Naruto: Do... you hate me now?  
Sakura: No! I don't hate you. (Not that. Never that.) I'm sorry... (I'm not strong enough.) I'm sorry... (I can't be your friend.)

Sakura runs off

Naruto: Sakura-chan!


End file.
